Romney Marches Toward GOP Nomination

By

Janet Hook And

Sara Murray

Updated April 24, 2012 11:13 p.m. ET

MANCHESTER, N.H.—Mitt Romney claimed victory in the Republican presidential nominating contest Tuesday after decisively sweeping five East Coast primaries, saying his triumph marked "the beginning of the end of the disappointments of the Obama years.''

Mr. Romney gave what amounted to an acceptance speech for the nomination after sweeping to primary victories in New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island.

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"After 43 primaries and caucuses…I can say with confidence—and gratitude—that you have given me a great honor and solemn responsibility," Mr. Romney told a crowd of supporters in New Hampshire.

"A better America begins tonight," he said.

Mr. Romney won more than 60% of the vote in New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island and solid majorities in Pennsylvania and Delaware, incomplete returns showed.

Mr. Romney can't amass the delegates needed to clinch the nomination until next month at the earliest, but he effectively wrapped up the contest two weeks ago when his chief rival, former Sen. Rick Santorum, dropped out of the race.

Mr. Santorum, who hasn't endorsed Mr. Romney, expects to sit down with the presumed GOP nominee on May 4, according to John Brabender, Mr. Santorum's chief strategist.

Mr. Brabender said he thinks Mr. Santorum wants to talk out some issues with Mr. Romney, including Iran, health-care policy and what role he can play for the GOP in the fall campaign. "There are some assurances on key issues that Rick Santorum wants," he said.

Mr. Romney's decisive victory in Delaware may drive out another rival, Newt Gingrich. The former House speaker had campaigned hard in Delaware in hopes of a win that would revive interest in his candidacy. After it became clear he had lost the state by a large margin, Mr. Gingrich didn't immediately quit the race but told supporters: "Over the next few days, we're going to look realistically at where we're at."

Rep. Ron Paul has shown no signs of dropping out, even though he is trailing at the back of the pack.

Mr. Romney traveled to New Hampshire—a battleground in the fall, and where he opened his presidential campaign, in June 2011—to deliver his speech lambasting President Barack Obama.

"Over the last three and a half years, we have seen hopes and dreams diminished by false promises and weak leadership,'' he said. "Everywhere I go, Americans are tired of being tired, and many of those who are fortunate enough to have a job are working harder for less."

He also said: "To all of the thousands of good and decent Americans I've met who want nothing more than a better chance, a fighting chance—to all of you, I have a simple message: Hold on a little longer."

Lilyan Maitan stood in a voting booth at St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Philadelphia Tuesday. Jessica Kourkounis/Getty Images

Mr. Romney spelled out a vision for America that is "driven by freedom, where free people, pursuing happiness in their own unique ways, create free enterprises that employ more and more Americans."

He also put new emphasis on "fairness"—a signature Democratic theme that polls show resonates with voters.

The president, too, sharpened his campaign arguments Tuesday, focusing on energizing college students and other young people. He called on Congress to block a planned July 1 increase in interest rates on new federally subsidized student loans.

The states voting on Tuesday will send more than 230 delegates to the convention, but only 150 were to be awarded to the candidates as a result of the election results. Mr. Romney emerged from Tuesday's voting with more than 820 delegates. Some 1,144 are needed for the nomination.

The allocation of delegates from Pennsylvania will be difficult to determine. Voters there selected 59 delegates by voting directly for them on the ballot, but the ballot didn't say which candidate each delegate intended to support.

According to an Associated Press tally, Mr. Romney headed into Tuesday's balloting with 698 delegates; Mr. Santorum has won 260; Mr. Gingrich 137; and Mr. Paul, 75. Fourteen states have yet to hold their Republican primaries.

Romney aides say the biggest shift now may be that more voters are tuning in to the campaign. "Now that we have this one-on-one contest, voters are going to be paying closer attention to the differences between the two men," an adviser said.

The mechanics of the general-election Romney machine are already in the works. The Romney campaign has established a joint fundraising effort with the Republican National Committee and is in the process of a rapid expansion that is expected to grow the staff to roughly 400 from 100 during the primaries.

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